Tennis · London
Osaka topples Sabalenka at Wimbledon; world No.1 says she wants to 'get drunk and forget tennis'
Naomi Osaka produced a commanding performance to defeat world number one Aryna Sabalenka 6-2, 7-6(2) in the Wimbledon fourth round, reaching the quarter-finals for the first time and leaving the women's draw without its top three seeds.
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In brief
Naomi Osaka beat Aryna Sabalenka 6-2, 7-6(2) in 81 minutes, winning 87% of first-serve points and saving both break points she faced.
The world number one said she 'fucked it up' and wants to 'get completely drunk, forget about tennis' after her earliest Wimbledon exit since 2022.
With Swiatek and Rybakina already eliminated, Sabalenka's loss leaves the women's draw without any of its top three seeds for the quarter-finals.
Sabalenka will drop 540 points to 8,550 but stays world number one; Rybakina closes the gap to 407 points.
Osaka reaches her first Wimbledon quarter-final and snaps a three-match losing streak against Sabalenka, calling it the most fun she has had on court in years.
- TiebreakOsaka wins the tiebreak 7-2, ending Sabalenka's 21-match unbeaten tiebreak streak at Grand Slams.
- Match pointSabalenka launches a ball high out of the stadium in anger after the final point.
- Press conferenceSabalenka says she wants to 'get completely drunk' and forget tennis; Osaka credits her mother's cooking.
The match
Naomi Osaka, the 14th seed, overpowered top seed Aryna Sabalenka 6-2, 7-6(2) on Centre Court in one hour and 21 minutes. Osaka won 87% of points on her first serve and faced only two break points, both saved. The first set lasted 32 minutes as Sabalenka's power game misfired, prompting her to scream in frustration and bang her racket against her head. The second set was tighter, but Osaka stayed calm in the tiebreak, snapping Sabalenka's streak of 21 unbeaten tiebreaks in Grand Slams.
Sabalenka's reaction
Sabalenka arrived at her press conference minutes after walking off court and did not hide her disappointment. "I fucked it up this year. Next year I'll try to do better," she said. "I just want to go, get completely drunk, forget about tennis, and try to get in better shape." It was her first straight-sets defeat at a major in six years. The Belarusian will lose 540 ranking points but remain world number one, with Elena Rybakina now trailing by just 407 points.
“I just want to go, get completely drunk, forget about tennis, and try to get in better shape.”
Osaka's resurgence
Osaka, who returned from maternity leave in 2024, described the win as the most fun she has had on court in a long time. She credited her mother's Japanese cooking for powering her run. Two-time Grand Slam champion Tracy Austin called it "the best we've seen Naomi Osaka since she came back." Osaka had lost her three previous meetings with Sabalenka and had never before beaten a reigning world number one.
“It has been a long time since I've had so much fun on the court, so to do it here means a lot.”
Wide-open draw
Defending champion Iga Swiatek and second seed Elena Rybakina both fell in the third round on Saturday. With Sabalenka now out, none of the top three seeds remain in the women's singles. Osaka will face ninth seed Karolina Muchova in the quarter-finals, while other unseeded or lower-ranked players also sense an opportunity on the grass.
What's next
Sabalenka said she would try to "build everything from scratch" for the next Grand Slam. Osaka, wearing a kimono-inspired outfit, continues her quest for a first Wimbledon title and a fifth major overall.
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Sources and context
- ReutersI just want to get drunk, Sabalenka says, after Wimbledon exit
- SAPONaomi Osaka elimina Aryna Sabalenka e alcança inéditos quartos em Wimbledon
- Notícias ao MinutoTirada de Aryna Sabalenka já se tornou viral: "Só quero ir embebedar-me"
- BBCWimbledon 2026 results: Naomi Osaka powered by mum's cooking in win over Aryna Sabalenka
- Aryna Sabalenka
- World number one tennis player, defeated in the Wimbledon fourth round by Naomi Osaka.
- Naomi Osaka
- Japanese tennis player, 14th seed, reached her first Wimbledon quarter-final with the win over Sabalenka.
- Iga Swiatek
- Defending Wimbledon champion and world number two, eliminated in the third round.
- Elena Rybakina
- Second seed, also knocked out in the third round, now trails Sabalenka by 407 ranking points.
- Karolina Muchova
- Ninth seed from the Czech Republic, Osaka's opponent in the quarter-finals.
- Tracy Austin
- Two-time Grand Slam champion and BBC commentator who described Osaka's performance as her best since returning from maternity leave.
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